TRC comments on mobilization of UOC parish rector in Volyn

Archimandrite Antoniy (Dzhezhela). Photo: Volodymyr-Volynskyi Eparchy of the UOC

On August 20, the Volyn Regional TRC commented on the mobilization of Archimandrite Antony (Dzhezhela), rector of the UOC Church of the Exaltation of the Cross in the village of Khvorostiv. This was reported by ZAXID.NET.

According to the TRC, the priest’s car was stopped at a checkpoint in the Lokachi district on August 17. During the document check, it was established that Archimandrite Antony was not wanted by the authorities but had neither a mobilization deferment nor a military reservation.

The enlistment office claims that the priest was asked to report to the TRC for a military medical examination and that he arrived at the territorial center on his own. That same day, the military medical commission found him fit for military service.

The UOC parish rector was then sent to one of the training centers for basic combined-arms training. The TRC thus confirmed that the reason for his mobilization was the absence of a properly documented deferment or military reservation.

The Volodymyr-Volynskyi Eparchy of the UOC reported that the archimandrite had been detained by TRC officers and called on the faithful to pray for the priest.

Earlier, the UOJ reported that UOC lawyer Archpriest Nikita Chekman urged clergy to arrange their mobilization deferments in advance. According to him, if a cleric has legal grounds for a deferment but has not formally obtained it, he may be mobilized on the same grounds as anyone else, while securing discharge after acquiring military serviceman status is considerably more difficult.

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